


turn the earth

by Caitlyn_Collins



Category: Dark Shadows (1966)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, Wakes & Funerals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-22
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-04-16 17:02:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4633164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caitlyn_Collins/pseuds/Caitlyn_Collins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josette's funeral.<br/>Originally published in 1982 in the print fanzine "Decades: 1760-1800".</p>
            </blockquote>





	turn the earth

the horse's hooves  
strike surely down  
with solemn tread  
along the path  
taken many times  
before. 

This winter  
the ritual procession  
etched in black  
against each later dawn  
has worn a frozen  
path. Snow clumps,  
thick masses press  
against new stone;  
hides names and dates,  
leaving marker-tops  
silent nameless sentinels  
as guides to the place  
of the dead.

(where all are alike,  
at the last--save one.)

turn the earth  
dug out with great labor  
dark rectangle awaiting  
the coffin. Pallbearers  
black figures stark forms  
against bright snow.  
Mourners follow,  
breath trailing pale plumes  
frost and rise  
in the still air.

The stone, carved words.  
In place. Coffin lowered.  
Drone of words, foreign tongue.  
Black clad man. Hand moving.  
...in nomini patri  
et filii,  
et spiritu sancti...

Clink of beads, silver cross.  
Earth falls down, soft as rain,  
slowing rising up  
to the level of the land,  
casting shudders  
like waves lapping  
beneath the cliff  
over stone.

The Countess turns her gaze  
beyond new stones,  
iron grating obscuring trees,  
past the land beyond,  
secure and firm,  
leading, deceiving,  
to the end.

Air beyond.  
Space below.  
Stone the cradle.  
Death the sleep.

(by her own hand.  
We loved you.  
by your hand  
would have done anything  
for you. With our love.  
by your hand)

She turns away, and finds  
her niece's father  
eyes fixed on  
the unseen cliff.

Tears pooling in her eyes,  
regretting  
she now lives  
while another is gone.  
she watches blindly  
last clods of earth  
falling  
and remembers  
distances travelled  
and created  
between lovers, loved ones,  
family and friends.

sees  
Josette's final smile,  
Calm eyes.  
Clouds passed before  
the silent moon  
before glass shattered,  
Door closed.

Her disappearance  
into darkness.

Body washed white  
by the tide  
face turned from  
the morning sun  
torn away  
by stone.

turn the earth  
1ight fading  
turn the earth

Newest stone catches  
last sunlight  
shadowplay upon  
carved words.  
Names and dates.  
Recording the passage  
of one who came  
half a world  
to know death.

Procession leaving.  
Gate closing.  
Latch catching.

turn the earth  
come sundown  
another mourner  
rising  
turn the earth  
toward night


End file.
